Dear friends,
Today we celebrate Easter. Christ is risen! We celebrate the fulfillment of the promise of our redemption. A question may still haunt our minds: what is it that we celebrate our redemption, yet we still struggle with every kind of life challenges?
The response to that question is that celebrating our redemption does not exempt us from facing challenges that will even question our faith, hope, and trust in the Lord. On Good Friday, we all, like the disciples, were discouraged. Our hope for true freedom and salvation vanquished. We seemed to be left on our own with nothing to rely on. This is what we see in both the Apostles and the women at the tomb.
Yet, the voice of the Risen resonates in the ears of our hearts calling us by our names like Mary. This awakening voice comes to nurture our trust and confidence in the Lord’s faithfulness. He never deceives any who trusts in Him. For the life he has and is in fulness is the one He shares with us. So let us not be afraid. As long as we are on this journey, on this pilgrimage, we will face situations which will challenge us. Only when we focus on the Lord who broke the chains of our bondage that we will feel true freedom. And Mary demonstrates that focus through her question: “Sir, tell me where you put him so that I may go and take him.”
Taking the body of the Lord with us is what matters. This means to always strive to maintain personal connection and relationship with the Lord. For this is the source of all of our joy and the reason for our life. The question today is for us to find the true meaning of what we mean as we receive the Eucharistic body of the Lord. Through and by reception of the Eucharistic Christ, we confess that we would like to be and to remain his dwelling sacred temples. Let us, therefore, allow the light and the joy of the new life that stems from the Lord’s resurrection shine through us as we strive to respond to the call to discipleship. Let us arise and undertake the journey to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord to those around us, the unchurched, and the left behind. For He is truly risen, and we are the witnesses>
Let us continue to pray for one another and for our parish family.
Happy and Blessed Easter to each and all of you!
Fr. Emery